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Health Products Research(R) Reports Key Findings on Pharmaceutical Promotion of Oral Contraceptives

Posted on: Wednesday, 26 July 2006, 12:00 CDT

SOMERSET, N.J., July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Health Products Research, Inc.(R) (HPR(R)), an inVentiv Health company , today announced the findings of its MPA(TM) metropolitan area promotional audit market intelligence on pharmaceutical sales forces' promotional activities of oral contraceptives (OC) across the United States.

According to the updated information analyzed from a broad sample of obstetrician/gynecologists and general/family practice medicine physicians surveyed between December 2005 and May 2006 by HPR(R), Berlex significantly increased OC detailing. OC promotional leaders varied by metropolitan area and new OC brands received more time with obstetrician/gynecologists.

Key findings on the promotion of Oral Contraceptives from the MPA(TM) metropolitan area promotional audit include:

* Berlex nearly doubled sales force detailing (presentations/discussions with physicians) for its OC brands for the quarter ending May 2006 vs. the prior quarter. * More than 1 out of 3 sales force details given for an oral contraceptive brand was for Yasmin(R) (#1 promoted OC) and/or YAZ(R) (#3 promoted OC), both products of Berlex. * Warner-Chilcott details supporting the launch of Loestrin(R) 24 Fe (#4 promoted OC) coincides with reduced detailing levels for Estrostep(R) and Ovcon(R) 35. * Promotional leaders in the oral contraceptive market varied by metropolitan area. Ortho Tri-Cyclen(R) (Ortho-McNeil) had the highest share-of-voice (SOV) in New York, Loestrin(R) 24 Fe in Washington- Baltimore and Yasmin(R) in Dallas/San Antonio/Oklahoma City - the three most heavily promoted metropolitan areas for oral contraceptive brands by pharmaceutical sales forces. * YAZ(R), launched in April 2006, had the highest SOV reported in 2 of the 22 metropolitan areas studied; Loestrin(R) 24 Fe SOV led in 4 metropolitan areas. Topics of discussion cited by physicians within the audit focused around the low dose of YAZ(R) and shorter duration of periods. * Reported sales presentations for oral contraceptives lasted 7 minutes on average. Not surprisingly, recently launched brands Loestrin(R) 24 Fe (13 minutes) and YAZ(R) (9 minutes) on average received more time with obstetrician/gynecologists compared to Ortho Tri-Cyclen(R) (5 minutes) and Yasmin(R) (4 minutes).

The MPA(TM) panel of over 1,700 obstetrician/gynecologists is asked to report on competitive promotional activities in order to measure and monitor the impact and effectiveness of localized field-based marketing activities. Physician feedback included: location and type of sales rep contact, nature of the product discussion, sales rep service rating, call frequency, sampling activity, competitive product comparisons and medical education program participation.

About the Metropolitan Area Promotional Audit (MPA)

The MPA(TM) metropolitan area promotional audit is a monthly service providing insights into pharmaceutical/health care company promotional activities and sales force structure across 22 metropolitan area geographies (MSA-GEOs). Physicians provide insights into the nature of the sales rep product discussions, the value of this information, and their intent to prescribe the product, in addition, to a host of other information collected on the sales rep call. This information enables pharmaceutical companies to fine-tune their marketing, field force resource allocation and professional medical education support initiatives to better meet the on-going information needs of physicians and health care providers. The MPA(TM) service was launched in January 2000 and has a dedicated panel of over 16,000 physicians representing 13 specialty segments.

About inVentiv Health

inVentiv Health (Ventiv Health, Inc., Nasdaq: VTIV) is the leading provider of commercialization and complementary services to the global pharmaceutical, life sciences and biotechnology industries. inVentiv delivers its customized clinical, sales, marketing and communications solutions through its three core business segments: inVentiv Clinical, inVentiv Communications and inVentiv Commercial. inVentiv Health currently works with over 175 unique pharmaceutical, biotech and life sciences clients, including all top 20 global pharmaceutical companies. For more information, visit http://www.inventivhealth.com/.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks that may cause Ventiv Health's performance to differ materially. Such risks include, without limitation: changes in trends in the pharmaceutical industry or in pharmaceutical outsourcing; our ability to compete successfully with other services in the market; our ability to maintain large client contracts or to enter into new contracts; and, our ability to operate successfully in new lines of business. Readers of this press release are referred to documents filed from time to time by Ventiv Health, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission for further discussion of these and other factors.

inVentiv Health, Inc.

CONTACT: Investors/Corporate - John Emery, CFO, inVentiv Health, Inc.,+1-732-537-4804, investor@ventiv.com; Client Questions/Marketing - JamesCharnetski, jcharnetski@hprmrd.com, or Kevin McFadden, kmcfadden@hprmrd.com,Health Products Research, Inc., +1-609-771-9777; Media - Felicia Vonella,inVentiv Health, Inc., +1-212-308-7155, fvonella@inventivhealth.com

Web site: http://www.inventivhealth.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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